Miss Celia knows about Tuesdays and usually she moves out to the sofa so I can do my work. A cold front started in this morning, so she cant go out to the swimming pool, and they say the weathers going to get worse. But at nine, then ten, then eleven the bedroom doors still closed. Finally, I knock.
Yes? she says. I open the door.
Morning, Miss Celia.
Hey, Minny. Its Tuesday.
Not only is Miss Celia still in bed, shes curled up on top of the covers in her nightgown without a drop of her makeup on.
I got to get them sheets washed and ironed and then I got to get to this old chiffarobe you done let go dry as Texas. And then we cooking
No learning lesson today, Minny. She isnt smiling either, like she usually does when she sees me.
You feeling bad?
Fetch me some water, will you?
Yesm. I go in the kitchen and fill up a glass from the sink. She must be feeling bad because shes never asked me to serve her anything before.
When I walk back in the bedroom though, Miss Celias not in bed and the bathroom doors closed. Now whyd she ask me to go get her water if shes got the means to get up and go to the bathroom? At least shes out of my way. I pick Mister Johnnys pants up off the floor, toss them over my shoulder. Ask me, this woman doesnt take enough exercise, sitting around the house all day. Oh now, Minny, dont go on that way. If shes sick, shes sick.
You sick? I holler outside the bathroom door.
Im fine.
While you in there, Im on go head and change these sheets.
No, I want you to go on, she says through the door. Go on home for the day, Minny.
I stand there and tap my foot on her yellow rug. I dont want to go on home. Its Tuesday, change-the-damn-sheets day. If I dont do it today, that makes Wednesday change-the-damn-sheets day too.
What Mister Johnny gone do if he come home and the houses a mess?
Hes at the deer camp tonight. Minny, I need you to bring me the phone over her voice breaks into a trembly wail. Drag it on over and fetch my phone book thats setting in the kitchen.
You sick, Miss Celia?
But she doesnt answer so I go get the book and stretch the phone over to the bathroom door and tap on it.
Just leave it there.[97] Miss Celia sounds like shes crying now. I want you to go on home now.
But I just gots
I said go home, Minny!
I step back from that closed door. Heat rises up my face. And it stings, not because I havent been yelled at before. I just havent been yelled at by Miss Celia yet.
But I just gots
I said go home, Minny!
I step back from that closed door. Heat rises up my face. And it stings, not because I havent been yelled at before. I just havent been yelled at by Miss Celia yet.
The next morning, Woody Asap on Channel Twelve is waving his white scaly hands all over the state map. Jackson, Mississippi, is frozen like an ice pop. First it rained, then it froze, then anything with more than a half-inch extending broke off to the ground by this morning. Tree branches, power lines, porch awnings collapsed like theyd plumb given up. Outsides been dunked in a shiny clear bucket of shellac.
My kids glue their sleepy faces to the radio and when the box says the roads are frozen and school is closed, they all jump around and whoop and whistle and run outside to look at the ice with nothing on but their long johns.
Get back in this house and put some shoes on! I holler out the door. Not one of them does. I call Miss Celia to tell her I cant drive in the ice and to find out if shes got power out there. After she yelled at me like I was a nigger in the road yesterday, youd think I wouldnt give a hoot about her.
When I call, I hear, Yeeello.
My heart hiccups.
Who is this? Whos calling here?
Real careful I hang up that phone. I guess Mister Johnnys not working today either. I dont know how he made it home with the storm. All I know is, even on a day off, I cant escape the fear of that man. But in eleven days, thats all going to be over.
Most of the town thaws in a day. Miss Celias not in bed when I walk in. Shes sitting at the white kitchen table staring out the window with an ugly look on her face like her poor fancy life is just too hot a hell to live in. Its the mimosa tree shes eyeing out there. It took the ice pretty hard. Half of the branches broke off and all the spindly leaves are brown and soggy.
Morning, Minny, she says, not even looking my way.
But I just nod. I have nothing to say to her, not after the way she treated me day before yesterday.
We can finally cut that old ugly thing down now, says Miss Celia.
Go ahead. Cut em all down. Just like me, cut me down for no reason at all.
Miss Celia gets up and comes over to the sink where Im standing. She grabs hold of my arm. Im sorry I hollered at you like I did. Tears brim up in her eyes when she says it.
Mm-hmm.
I was sick and I know thats no excuse, but I was feeling real poor and She starts sobbing then, like the worst thing shes ever done in her life is yell at her maid.
Alright, I say. Aint nothing to boo-hoo over.
And then she hugs me tight around the neck until I kind of pat her on the back and peel her off. Go on, set down, I say. Ill fix you some coffee.